On the back of Andy Dalton's poise and a belief in finishing off games, a foundation for future wins developed over the first four weeks.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) catches the game-winning touchdown pass with seven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. The Bengals scored a touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to win 37-36.(Photo: Sam Greene, )

When the proposition was suggested to longtime Bengals’ special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons that finishing games and finding a way to win around here has been cyclical and some teams have had it and others very much haven’t, he couldn’t wait for the question to finish.

Watching the first four games of this season, the Bengals’ knack for finishing off close games proved as obvious as it is priceless.

For a team that slogged along and bemoaned not finishing close games over the majority of the past two seasons, no greater characteristics could have uncovered from the first quarter of the year. Arguably, more important than the three wins is a foundation of faith going forward this team will always find a way to win.

It’s the common denominator of overachievement in the NFL. Exponentially so for the second-youngest team in the NFL and youngest of the Marvin Lewis Era.

“They (didn’t) have enough skins on the wall,” Simmons said. “We are starting to get some skins on the wall. Guys are starting to believe. To have success in something, you have to believe in it. They believe. They believe in each other.”

BREAKING THE CYCLE

Since 2003, the Bengals are around the NFL average having seen 52 percent of all contests decided by one possession.

Interestingly, they are right down the middle with 62 wins, 62 losses and three ties in those 127 tilts.

The piece of history relevant to today’s club revolves around streakiness of a completely down the middle statistic. Bengals teams and franchise nuclei over multiple seasons tend to catch momentum with winning these types of games.

The good news for the Bengals is they are ascending out of one of the worst streaks in their history.

From early 2016 to early 2017, they failed to win nine consecutive games decided by one possession. They are 5-2 in the last seven since. And although only last week against Atlanta fits under this criteria, the entire season has been defined by close games until the final minutes.

Dating back to Andy Dalton-to-Tyler Boyd in Baltimore at the end of the last year, the Bengals have consistently made the big plays to finish games.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83) breaks a tackle from Baltimore Ravens cornerback Maurice Canady (26) on his way to the end zone for the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. The Bengals won 31-27 in the regular season finale. (Photo: Sam Greene)

Why were press conferences filled with questions about why the Bengals couldn’t finish for the last couple of years, but now praising the same ability?

“We talk about this all the time,” Marvin Lewis said. “In the NFL, all of your great players have to play great. Right now, we are getting that. That’s key. Our other guys are growing up around it, because they want to be like, ‘Look at me, too.’ Those guys are gaining confidence with the ability to make plays.”

Former offensive coordinator Ken Zampese was 1-7-1 in games decided by one possession. Since Bill Lazor took over last year, he’s 5-3, including a loss in his first game taking over against Green Bay where they were one Joe Mixon slip away from running the clock down on Aaron Rodgers.

This may be about the players and not the coaches, but the production Lazor’s been able to cultivate changed the dynamic.

“The difference is we are scoring points,” Simmons said. “It was a different feeling a year ago, we weren’t scoring points. We are scoring points and scoring points in bunches, we always feel like we have a chance to be in every game and they keep showing that. The first fourth down play we had on that last drive I’m talking to our guys about what we are going to do on the kickoff when we score. We are planning what we are going to do on the kickoff based on the amount of time left when we score. I haven’t done that always in the past. I haven’t been as confident it is going to happen. I was very confident it was going to happen.”

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) drops back to pass in the second quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018.(Photo: Sam Greene, )

ALWAYS ABOUT THE QUARTERBACK

Lazor calls Andy Dalton a “flatliner.” He heard the word used about another quarterback by 2019 Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian. It always made sense in reference to the Bengals’ head man.

No matter how intense the situation, Dalton stays calm. That’s mostly just his personality. He doesn’t try to be somebody else. He’s not a loud-talking, speech-giving, teammate-ripping reactionary.

“He’s never in a panic,” running back Joe Mixon said. “He’s never in a panic mode.”

That’s the main ingredient in an elixir which produced 22 game-winning drives since entering the league. The number ties Boomer Esiason for most in franchise history. Dalton has done that in 113 career starts while it took Esiason 123.

It ranks ninth among active quarterbacks. With two already this season he’s halfway to tying a career high for a season.

“He’s good with poise and with intellect,” Lazor said. “I think it has a real effect on the whole offense – probably the team – but I can just speak for the offense, including the coaches. They just see him walk over and say, ‘Hey, there’s lots of time left, let’s go.’ When the bullets are flying you need a guy who can keep his pulse under control.”

That’s as much nurture as nature.

“I try to make sure that if it gets tight to tell everybody, ‘Calm down, it's going to be all right,” Dalton said. “There’s definitely a sense of that out there. It’s kind of my personality but also a conscious effort to make sure that’s the atmosphere we have out there.”

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Nick Vigil (59) and defensive back Darqueze Dennard (21) celebrate a stop in the third quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. The Bengals scored a touchdown in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to win 37-36.(Photo: Sam Greene, )

'THE SENSE OF WANTING TO BE THE DIFFERENCE'

This goes beyond Dalton and A.J. Green, though. They’ve been here.

In fact, the two biggest finishing moves of the season prior to Sunday came on the defensive side of the ball with the forced fumble from Clayton Fejedelem in Indianapolis to the sack-fumble of Joe Flacco by Shawn Williams against Baltimore.

The defense may be the weak link thus far this year, particularly on routinely disastrous third downs, but in key moments they’ve found large plays.

Case in point came last week forcing a field goal following a blocked punt and after an inexcusable third-and-13 checkdown to the tight end for a first down, they were able to hold the game within a score again forcing a kick.

“That's the thing you look at for your guys,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “We may not be playing well in certain areas, but our guys are making enough plays to win the game and keep us in the games. And that's what I'm really proud about our guys. They fight like heck.”

This may all stem from Dalton and filter through the league’s fourth-ranked scoring offense, but looking ahead the wonder is how many wins will be earned the rest of the way due to the belief instilled during this first quarter of the season. Time will tell.

Belief isn't always enough. This is the NFL and some days talent in one direction or the other wins out. But don’t dismiss this intangible development. Only six of the 104 Super Bowl participants in history had a losing record in one-score games and none this decade.

The last three Super Bowl champs?

2015: Denver 9-3

2016: New England 4-1

2017: Philadelphia 5-2

Everyone acknowledges the difference-making attribute this can be if it continues to build upon itself. What happens the rest of the season is unknown, but the foundation is officially in place this year in Cincinnati.

“It’s a testament to our team we are able to stick together, believe in each other and come up with a way to win,” Simmons said. “Whatever group it is, steps up and has an answer. That’s a positive. People feel the sense of wanting to be the difference.”